Fifteen-year-old Ashwin has recently moved to a new city to live with his aunt and uncle. His parents—researchers away on an expedition to Antarctica—have left him no choice but to join a new school, and embark on the dreariest task of all: making new friends.
However, his bumbling attempts to fit in end in catastrophe, earning him ridicule and social isolation. That is, until he meets Avnoor, a poised and magnetic classmate who seems utterly out of reach. Hopelessly smitten, Ashwin becomes determined to win her affection, no matter the cost.
In this brand new coming-of-age novel, Almost Sixteen, Arsh Verma leads us on a bittersweet and irreverent journey through first love, fragile friendships, and the messy, often hilarious trials and tribulations of adolescence.
Have you ever heard the word Zen? It’s what happens when you sit quietly, noticing your breath and what it feels like to just be alive. Zen is a way of closely looking at our life and the world around us so that we can share love and compassion with everyone and everything!
Each chapter has a new story to explore, with themed discussion questions, meditations, journal prompts, and hands-on projects.
Make Zen a part of your everyday life with this fun and friendly guide!
What’s Inside:
- A gentle introduction to mindfulness written in simple, child-friendly language.
- Easy breathing exercises that help kids calm their minds and bodies.
- Fun mindfulness activities children can practice at home, in school, or before bedtime.
- Short stories and examples that teach kids how to stay present and mindful.
- Tools for emotional regulation to help children handle frustration, worry, and excitement.
The In-Laws is a page-turning psychological thriller that will have you guessing till the very end.
He visited them for the weekend. Now they won’t let her leave.
Chelsea Jameson married the perfect husband, but he doesn’t like to talk about his past.
She finds out why when his parents invite them to stay at their off-the-grid cabin in the woods.
His mother dominates his life, even though her only son is in his thirties. Her mother-in-law creates conflict and tries to manipulate her husband against Chelsea.
When Chelsea discovers more about her husband’s parents, dark family secrets are unearthed, revealing the truth. This is not a regular visit to the in-laws.
Isolated and in the middle of nowhere, Chelsea needs to play their game if she wants to survive her visit.
- Fast-paced & unputdownable – A tense, twist-filled psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the final page.
- Dark twists and shocking turns – Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Wife Between Us, and The Silent Patient.
- Short, sharp chapters – Ideal for readers who love thrillers you can binge in one breathless sitting.
- Perfect gift for thriller lovers – Addictive, unpredictable, and impossible to forget.
The Kaveri is eternal; it will never let us down—and we Cholas live by this adage.’
Kundavai is the daughter of the mighty Sundara Chola. She glories in the history of her dynasty and their victories in their perpetual battles for supremacy against the Cheras and Pandyas, and tries to understand the nature of power. She also constantly challenges herself—in ways discouraged by her mother, who wants her to embrace traditional feminine pursuits.
When an assassination puts her family at threat, Kundavai must discover the dark secrets that lie hidden. She is determined to protect the Chola legacy, even if that comes at the expense of sacrificing her own hopes for the future . . .
This dazzling new novel by acclaimed historian Devika Rangachari delves into the little-known story of the woman who was advisor to two of the mightiest monarchs of medieval India.
A horrific attack on the Rashtrapati Bhavan has brutally killed hundreds of people. And Riya Chaudhary finds herself in the clutches of a barbarous clan that will go to any extent to realize its plan of Ghazwa-e-Hind.
Ravana has begun the Kaal Yagna to awaken Anishtatri—the ancestral goddess of Asuras. After many bloody offerings, Ravana is preparing to offer the final sacrifice — his beloved queen Mandodari. The completion of this yagna shall yield unthinkable results.
The daitya guru Shukracharya and his daughter Devyani are travelling through the jungle—a region lorded by Dandak, the savage grandson of Ikshvaku. Here, they become victims of an appalling tragedy, the echoes of which shall haunt the universe till the end of time. Even the avatar of Lord Vishnu himself shall not be able to escape Shukracharya’s curse.
What is the Puranic mystery hidden in the ashram of the Maha-Tantaric Bhairavi Maa? What is the lord of all the malevolent energies in the universe Ekaksh Aghori’s diabolical plan that aims to restore Asura supremacy in the world?
‘I can hardly imagine it, but everything will be different tomorrow. I’ve looked forward to it for years. I’ll truly be Sundaram’s wife, together in body as in spirit . . .’
But that tomorrow never comes, and at just fourteen, Aru is left a widow. Worse, the village whispers name Sundaram a drunkard and a thief—the thief who called down the wrath of the local goddess by stealing the most precious jewel from her temple. The future Aru once envisioned vanishes, leaving only bleak and endless days ahead. So when a ray of hope appears in the form of the landlord’s children offering her a job as their grandmother’s companion, Aru seizes the opportunity.
In the landlord’s house, Aru gains an education, finds that her charge is an unexpected ally, and dreams impossibly of having a profession of her own one day. But she also learns uncomfortable truths. Soon, her very life is in danger . . .
The White Lotus is a gripping murder mystery and a rich social portrait of the plight of widows in rural Tamil Nadu at the very start of the twentieth century.
Something strange is happening in the heart of the British Empire.
Nineteenth-century Calcutta is abuzz with social reforms, especially with regard to womens’ rights and education. And in this time, Kadambini Ganguly dreams of going to university—and in the ultimate audacious hope—wants to become a doctor.
But for many people, the idea of girls studying is anathema. And a school full of unmarried girls and widows getting an education, in an environment where caste is disregarded and every student treated as an equal, leads to charges of immorality. And the battle to get the right to a college education is against overwhelming odds.
The fictionalised story of Kadambini, one of the first women graduates of the British Empire and the first woman to get a degree from an Indian medical college, is rivetingly told by Madhurima Vidyarthi, in a fascinating portrait of nineteenth century life, society and its arbitrary mores.
Tatum Comes Home by the TikTok and Instagram sensation hi.this.is. is a feel-good adventure about a charismatic and cuddly pet, his human family, and how love heals.
It’s late May, and Maine is blooming with the crispness of pine in air and the rich scents of spring. In this fairytale woodland city lives Tatum, a sweet rust-colored rescue dog, who is enjoying a trip to the hardware store with his dad when a heavy thunderstorm blows in. Frightened, Tatum scampers off to hide—and buries himself beneath a blanket on a nearby truck.
When Tatum wakes, hungry and confused, he’s hours from home and his family franticly searching for him. But as fate would have it, Tatum’s presence is the anchor this kind truck owner needs, who promises to get him back to his family. Will seeking help from an old vet friend help the truck owner find the love he has been evading for so long?
Tatum, with his deep golden eyes and trusting gaze, has a knack for making friends—and for letting humans know exactly what’s on his mind. Everyone Tatum meets on his journey are eager to do their part to get him home. And in turn, Tatum has a way of nudging everyone he encounters to overcome hurdles, seek out second chances, and find—or make—the families they need.
The millions of Tiktok and Instagram fans who love Tatum’s distinctive quirks and hilarious voice are in for a treat with this warm, emotional adventure.
When Ashim, the bright, cheerful class topper and the ‘jewel’ of Mahendra master, suddenly drops out of school, everyone is surprised. His classmate and academic rival, Nirmal, is deeply troubled by Ashim’s behaviour and decides to investigate.
As Nirmal discovers more about Ashim’s circumstances, a friendship as pure as the bakul flower blooms that stands its ground against the harsh realities of growing up in rural Assam.
A heartwarming coming-of-age tale, the book celebrates friendship, hope and determination as it unravels the devastating effects of poverty and of an education system that has failed the ones who need it the most—the misfits and outcasts.
Translated for the first time from the Assamese, Under the Bakul Tree is one of the finest young adult novels from India and is an invaluable addition to India’s rich literary landscape.
Abir Maqsood is angry.
She has things to do: a career to carve, money to earn, and, in the small stuff, a dining table to fix. But there are many obstacles in the way: lack of money, her parents’ over-protective attitude, and a most annoying distraction in class called Arsalan.
When her mother is not paid her dues for her henna service, Abir resolves to help her by creating a henna app. Her college is also running a program for student start-ups so things look most fortuitous. But the path to getting funding is littered with more thorns than roses.
As Abir navigates through college, friendships and social pressures with determination, will she find the freedom that she is truly looking for?
Winner of the Neev Book Award 2024 • the Crossword Book Award • the BK Children’s Book Award • the Auther Award
